BOSTON, Mass. -- The Simmons Sharks defeated the Anna Maria AMCATS, 51-48, snapping a six-game losing streak and picking up their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference victory of the season Monday evening at the Holmes Sports Center.
With both squads in the hunt for their first GNAC win, the Sharks (3-13, 1-5 GNAC) and AMCATS (4-15, 0-6) battled for a full 40 minutes. Anna Maria held a two-point lead at the half but Simmons rebounded in the second as Hannah May (Hamden, Conn.) went 3-5 from behind the arc and 3-6 in the paint for 11 points.
Simmons led by as many as ten points in the first as Liz O'Connor (Milton, Mass.) buried a jumper with 4:41 remaining. But AMCATS Kaitlyn Patno hit two three pointers in a row and Katie Pryor hit another to quickly tie the game up at 19 with 2:00 to play. Simmons junior Leah Davis (Cranston, R.I.) hit a three to regain the Sharks' lead but Liz Sama's jumper hit only net and Patno made her third three pointer to give Anna Maria the lead at the half.
With the game tied at 35 with 10 minutes to play in the second, May hit two consecutive three pointers to give the Sharks the lead. But Brooke Denver and Lindsay Bond responded to tie up the game again at 41.
Leah Davis, O'Connor and Nicole Alberghini (Northborough, Mass.) each scored in the paint to once again lift the Sharks to a seven-point lead. But the AMCATS were relentless. Pryor and Bond both hit their free throws to narrow the Sharks lead to three. With a Sharks foul with a minute remaining, Bond again hit both of her free throws to cut the lead to one. With five seconds remaining, May hit both free throws to ensure the win for the Sharks.
The Sharks return to action on Thursday, January 31st when the continue GNAC play at home versus Mount Ida College at 7:00 p.m.